In the previous post's comments, The Feet made a comment that I would like to address. (To see the entire comment click here.)"Dear Head, ...you are in effect saying that your work and the perspective you offer are more important than the other members of the body of Christ..."
Dear Feet,
I think you are wrong on two counts. First, I am not the Head. If you have read your Scriptures you would know that it is Christ who is the head. I do appreciate the acknowledgment but just because I am round and above you doesn't make me the head. I am nothing more than the ass. And, second, I do not think myself as more important nor am I saying that we can do without the institution, I am just concerned that the institution is doing without the Head in some of its decisions and time. I am just getting rid of some of the crap that has been coming my way a lot lately. It might just be gas.
I am really trying to fill space. It is, don't cha know, my blog.
p.s. And Bill, the committee making decision about chairs? It does sound a lot like the church I read about in Acts.
10 comments:
Do you believe, Tony, that all churches should return to the size of house churches in Acts?
Someone has to decide to buy chairs. Someone has to raise money to get them and find a space for the youth group to meet and find a place to store them when they're not in use. In the house church of 20, that was the presbyter or elder. He may have done it all himself. We could indeed return to that model. You might even argue that would be a more effective organization for the body of Christ. Prior to seeing that argument, though, that seems unlikely.
Tony; It sounds as though you are continuing to bite the hand that feeds you. If you are so disillusioned with the institution why do you still continue to accept a paycheck from them. It is those committees that allow you to eat and have a roof over your families head.
G.K. Chesterton said, "The evil of the pessimist is, then, not that he chastises gods and men, but that he does not love what he chastises."
Tony won't say this about himself, but I can say that the last thing he is, is a pessimist. When others give up and leave, Tony has stayed many times over to work towards health and wholeness in broken organizations and broken systems.
During the first Gulf War, Adrienne Rich wrote (remember the patriot missiles for the allusion),
"A patriot is not a weapon. A patriot is one who wrestles for the soul of her country as she wrestles for her own being."
To chastise is not to bite the hand that feeds. Perhaps this is wrestling for the soul of the church.
Thank you Sean, I couldn't have said it better.
To others: Don't put words in my mouth. I have been working within the institution for the past 30+ years and will be for the next 30. And I wasn't paid for it. I am not against it, but I will not sit by and watch it do nothing. I am still a part of the process and part of that is provoking discussion.
Farmerfornow, you know me better than that.
Tony, if I put words in your mouth, I apologize. I did not recognize I was doing so.
I think the prophets got a lot of flack for pointing out what God needed pointed out to the people who were striving to point toward God. Keep pointing... we need it.
Two things.
1. Tony, I know you and respect you. I too am often pained by committies that spend time squabbling of things like dress codes for church. (Yes, that is something that's come up more than once at my current church)
2. Tony, I'm glad you are not an "ass", but that you are Tony. I am glad that you stand and provoke and do so with your name attached and your heart, soul and mind fully engaged with the struggle. It speaks highly of your character and of your desire for wisdom as well as for change.
I'm glad you challenge the institution even though your paycheck IS on the line. I'm glad you love it where it is but too much to leave it there. I see Christ in that.
Jeff Crotty
I am sad and happy all at the same time. Keep running the race with perseverance. This is a battle (that is not the right word, but the best that came to mind) that is going to be going on for quite some time. I wish I had the same sticktoitedness(not a word) that you do. In this instance I do not. You are a good man.
Nobody loves me but my mother. . .and she could be jivin' too.
Come on folks. The heart of the post was regarding our focus in stewardship, not whether or not Tony believes in the physical needs of non-profit organizations.
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